All posts by connymirza

Lime Nut Buttons

Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans
  • 1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
  • 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Several hours before baking:
In a small bowl, combine the flour and salt. In a food processor, combine the 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, the pecans, and the coconut. Process until the pecans are finely ground. With an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Add the pecan mixture and beat until well blended. Beat in the lime zest and vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl an dad the flour mixture, beating just until combined. Remove the dough from the bowl, wrap in plastic, and chill until firm, about 3 hours.

To bake:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Measure the dough into heaping tablespoon-size pieces and roll each piece between your palms to form a ball. Put the balls 1 1/2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake until the edges fo the cookies barely begin to brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on the sheets for 3 to 4 minutes and then roll into confectioners’ sugar while still warm. Repeat rolling to create a delicate powdery coating.

 

Financier

Desserts, Kaffee und Kuchen

financier

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup ground almonds
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 large egg whites
  • 1 tablespoon rum
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Blueberries or raspberries

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, place ground almonds, flour, sugar and lemon zest.
Mix until combined.

Add butter and continue beating for two minutes.

Stir rum and vanilla into egg whites, then add the flour mixture in two additions.
Beat for 2 minutes after each addition, scraping down the bowl as necessary.

Fill each pan with 2 ounces of batter, then add one berry.

Bake 35 minutes. Unmold and serve immediately.

 

Eggnog

Drinks

Holiday Eggnog

Ingredients for 6 cups, serves 8

  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • Kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup rum
  • 1/4 cup bourbon
  • 2 Tbs cognac
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Whisk egg yolk in large bowl until they begin to turn light yellow. Add sugar and a pinch of salt, whisk until thick and pale yellow.
Whisk in rum, bourbon, and cognac until well combined.
Whisk in milk, cream, nutmeg and vanilla until well combined.
Chill covered for 4 hours or overnight.

Optional: Whip egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into chilled yolk mixture for ligher eggnog.

 

 

Mama’s Erdbeerbowle

Drinks

erdbeerbowle

Ingredients

  • 1 kilo berries
  • 150 g sugar
  • 1/8 l Grand Manier
  • 1/8 l Vermouth
  • 1 bottle white wine
  • 1 bottle champagne

Mix first 5 ingredients and let sit for 4 – 5 hours.
Add 1 bottle of champagne.

 

Amaretti Truffles

Desserts

amarettitruffles

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces sweet chocolate melted
  • 1/4 cup Amaretto liquor
  • 2 tablespoons strong coffee
  • 4 ounces unsalted butter softened
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup pulverized Amaretti cookies
  • 1/2 cup powdered cocoa for powdering

Melt chocolate, Amaretto and coffee until smooth, whisk in butter one tablespoon at a time. Then add vanilla, and finally beat in the pulverized cookies.

Set over ice bath and stir until chilled and fairly firm.

Form into truffle shape and roll in the cocoa powder.

 

Dana’s Thai Squid

Main Courses

Ingredients

  • ½ lb squid
  • big handful Thai basil
  • 1 small white onion, cut into quarters
  • 2 scallions, cut into threads
  • 1 or 2 fresh tomatoes, cut in eighth
  • 3 fresh chilies, cut into small pieces
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon naam pla (fish sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon naam prik pao (Thai chili sauce)
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil

Heat wok very hot, add oil, garlic, pause for garlic to brown,
Add onion, scallion, pause again
Add tomatoes, squid, fish sauce, naam pink pao, chilies and basil.
Stir. Cook until everything is hot. Serve immediately.

 

Rosemary Lemonade

Drinks

rosemarylemonade

Ingredients for 6 servings

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 cups water
  • 6 springs of fresh rosemary
  • 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Bring the sugar and 2 cups water to a boil in a 1 quart saucepan, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat. Add rosemary, cover and steep for at least 30 minutes. Strain the syrup into a pitcher and stir in the lemon juice and 4 cups of water. Adjust lemon to taste by adding additional juice.  Chill.

 

 

Coriander Dressing

Dressings and Sauces

Ingredients for dressing for 4 servings

  • 1 tsp whole coriander seeds
  • 1 tbs fresh lemon juice
  • 1 small shallot, minced
  • 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbs canola oil

Additional ingredients for a Pear, Bacon, and Walnut Salad

  • 2 slices diced bacon, rendered
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts
  • 1 large head of butter lettuce
  • 1 large red Anjou pear, unpeeled, cored, sliced

Toast coriander seeds over medium heat until aromatic, about 2 min. Transfer to mortar and grind coarsely with pestle. Transfer to small bowl. Mix in lemon juice and shallot. Gradually whisk in oils. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

Toss lettuce with dressing. Top with pear slices, then walnuts, and bacon.

 

Lavender Shortbread Cookies

Desserts, Kaffee und Kuchen

lavendarcookie

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter cut into smaller pieces
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons dried lavender flowers
  • 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (optional)

Heat oven to 350°F.

Cream butter until soft in mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add 1/4 cup sugar and mix until incorporated.

Stir flour, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl.

Add dry ingredients into the butter mixture and mix at low speed just until all ingredients are almost incorporated. Then add lavender and mint and zest if used and mix until dough starts to come together.

Flour work surface and knead by hand until the dough is smooth.

Roll dough into 1 1/4 thick sausage and slice off cookies with serrated knife trying to keep the round shape.

Prepare cookie sheet with Silpat. Distribute cookies and prick the shortbread all over with a fork to prevent any buckling or shrinking. Sprinkle surface with remainding sugar.

Bake 20 – 25 minutes until golden and very lightly browned.

As soon as cookies come out of the oven sprinkle again with a bit of sugar.